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FOUNTAIN VALLEY Word had spread from the softball to soccer fields at the Special Olympics Fall Games on Saturday at the Fountain Valley Sports Complex that a celebrity soon would be arriving.

“Somebody named Beaver,” one athlete said.

“
Justin Bieber?”one girl asked excitedly. “Where?”

“Over there,” said two boys pointing to an outfield where film and still cameras and a crew surrounded a plain-clothed 6-foot-7 Angels ace shooting a public-service announcement for the Special Olympics.

“That's Jered Weaver. It's him! I know the hair. For real. Jered. Weaver,” one Long Beach softball Special Olympian correctly announced while running toward the chain-link fence to get a closer look.

Weaver, 30, the Angels All-Star right-hander and Special Olympics Sports Ambassador, made an appearance at the two-day Fall Games that attract more than 1,100 Southern California athletes to compete in six sports.

Chants of “Wea-ver! Wea-ver!” serenaded him as he made his way to an information tent and took a seat behind a table where he would sign autographs.

An eager mother rushed up to Weaver and breathlessly asked, “Do you know where softball's Field 3 is?”

Weaver, happy to be unrecognized, smiled and kindly backed away to let one of the event's staffers field the question.

Soon, about a 100 athletes, most in their teens to late 20s, lined up to meet the Angel. Some rolled up in wheelchairs. Some limped toward him with braces around their legs. Some wore Angels jerseys over their uniform shirts.

Valliere, who has Down syndrome, plays shortstop for the Whittier-based Dirty Dawgs. He loves the Angels, knows all the names of the players and wants to turn double plays like shortstop Erick Aybar.

“You're a good player,” Valliere said. “And tall.”

“Thanks, buddy,” said Weaver, who signed his autograph under the bill of Valliere's cap and put the hat back on his fan's head.

Valliere's flexed his right biceps for Weaver. He walked away, his eyes peering up to see the first signature he has ever gotten from a famous athlete.

“I can see it now whenever I play,” Valliere said. “It's cool. He throws like 200 miles an hour!”

Vincenzo McFadden, 13, was there with his shortstop-playing brother, Steven, 25, of the Simi Valley Stars of Weaver's hometown, lined up, too.

So did volleyball player Elizabeth Flood, 21, of the Conejo Champs. She's known for her exuberant, arms-flexed celebrations of points while yelling, “Black Mamba!”

“You should have won the Cy Young,” Flood told Weaver, who finished third in the American League voting behind winner David Price this past season and second behind Justin Verlander in 2011.

“Thank you,” Weaver said. “Maybe next year.”

In seven seasons, Weaver has a record of 102-52 with a 3.24 ERA and 11 complete games, including the May 2 no-hitter he hurled against the Minnesota Twins.

“I saw that game,” said Mitch Thompson, a third baseman from Temecula.

“It's amazing to realize how much support you get from so many people in the community,” Weaver said. “It's an honor, especially when you know that they look to you.”

The athletes peppered him with compliments and requests to sign their hats, jerseys, wristbands, programs and baseballs. They also delivered fastball questions like “Are the Angels going to win the World Series?”

“Hopefully,” Weaver said. “I'm working on that.”

This offseason has already seen plenty of change, especially in the starting rotation. Ervin Santana was traded away to Kansas City while Zack Greinke is apparently signing with the Dodgers.

Dan Haren's option was declined, allowing the veteran All-Star to sign with the Washington Nationals for a one-year, $13 million deal.

“I'm so happy for him (Haren) to be able to go and be a part of an up-and-coming team and part of a great rotation,” Weaver said of his good friend and clubhouse neighbor. “I loved being lockermates with him and sharing the same mound.”

Weaver and his wife, Kristin, who was also at the event, recently returned from a one-year wedding anniversary trip to Europe. He loved seeing the Colosseum and getting time with his wife “off the radar,” except when he was recognized twice by fans in Venice.

But on this day, he didn't mind the attention and leaving Special Olympians as star struck and excited as the day he was the day UCLA forward and Simi Valley High star Don MacLean came to visit participants in his basketball camp.

“That was my first shock of meeting a professional athlete,” Weaver said. “I'll always remember how special that was.”

He happily put on a Dirty Dawgs ballcap to take a photo with the team. For two hours, he signed hundreds of autographs and posed for photos and retakes so families could have the perfect memento.

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